1. Field
A plasmonic coating is disclosed which can reflect light within a selected spectral range.
2. Background Information
Known coating technology utilizes multilayer dielectric coatings or metallic coatings to affect the reflectance properties of different optical devices. A dielectric multilayer coating can include multiple layers of different transparent optical materials. Known dielectric multilayer coatings can operate based on an interference effect, and can have a thickness of a few microns depending on the desired wavelength.
Metallic coatings can also be used where, for example, a broadband reflectance property and/or omnidirectional property is desired. Metallic coatings can reflect incoming light at any incidente angle.
A coating can include alternating layers of metallic and dielectric materials. Such a coating has been disclosed by the following article: “M.I.T. Scientists Turn Simple Idea Into ‘Perfect Mirror’”, by Bruce Schechter, in the National Science of the New York Times Company dated Dec. 15, 1998 (4 pages).